S1 Exige - Aberdeenshire

[GraemeLotus]

If 2k spent getting everything done, it'll break 30k by 2017, on the current path; and no reason not.

Not as good as a late 80s 911 (friend bought in 2011 for 9k, spent 12k, sold yesterday for 38k) but still not bad.

[kerryxeg]

well you are full of optimism

But then its a valid point. I spoke to my local garage (Allon White) and they reckon around £1k will get most replaceable items done (well a c service and Water pump).. They also warned me on scottish cars.

They bought a couple from scotland and found a lot of corrosion due to the more ecommon use of Salt on the roads (vs Southerners)...

Mine (now 16 years old) has very little corrosion of any sort, lives in a nice warm garage and rarely ventures out even in the summer. I doubt it's ever been on a salty road since I bought it in 2003. I know of a few S1 exiges that have been used as daily runners but they are the exception. The biggest problem is going to be finding an owner who likes and looks after his car willing to sell. I would never suggest buying a car as an investment, but if you own one which is increasing in value it's a very difficult thing to part with.

[Corranga]

I'm not a watch person, but if I were I'd prefer the genuine Rolex say over the hommage & this follows the same path.

Exactly, a copy is never going to have the provenance of the original, ergo it will never have the value.

I completely understand this, 100%. I would never dream of owning, say, a Ferrari replica based on a Toyota or something, but this is different.
An Exige IS just an Elise with a few different parts bolted on, that's how Lotus made them ion the first place.
It's more like owning a Rolex Explorer or a Rolex Air King with a bezel from an Explorer fitted (or something, also not a watch person).
The difference between the homage and the factory one could be only down to the chassis plate, in fact, with the K-Series still in the back of the Elise, it could actually very easily have more parts in common with the original Exige than a Honda converted original Exige, or other modified Exige...
I wouldn't build an Elige either, but then that's more down to me loving my car the way it is.

I suspect it's just a combination of me looking at things differently when it comes to my Lotus - value is irrelevant as I don't plan to ever sell it, and the cars being so similar, that its hard to see where one is around 3 times more than the other.

Chris

[dlogan]

It's got aftermarket bucket seats, needs 4 new tyres, c service, I.e cam belt etc, new brakes, probably new seal kits in the calipers. It's been resprayed, runs up to temp and fan kicks in fine, but can't be driven due to brakes.

I would want to replace all perishable hoses inc fuel lines.

That's all the things that are obvious but no idea what else it might need after driving.

It's a nice car but there is a strange selling thing going on. It's the advertisers friend, who was there when I viewed, got his number to discuss an offer and I couldn't get a hold of him.

I gave up in the end. I wouldn't have bought it at £24.5k it would have had to be £20k tops.

[NeilP]

Ouch - so the nice looking images don't really pay the correct view of the car.

How was the paint overall and any corrosion?

[dlogan]

It looked really good no blisters but it's a subjective thing of what's good and what's not. Underneath looked OK with nothing untoward in my opinion.

I think it's genuine enough but I just can't understand why you wouldn't pay enough to get it through an mot then price it at £28k.

If you want an exige, going by what's on the market, you would be mad not to consider it.

I however had a number of cars in mind and I went for a car at similar price with better history, full 12 months mot and 12 month warranty and 12 month tax. Still British too.

[NeilP]

Thanks Dlogan, i threw an offer across the table, based on what you say and having to get it trailored to Monstor in leicester.. Their prices are far better than mo local lotus expert in cramfield.

Fingers crossed, or not! Gulp.

[NeilP]

The other car i like is this one at barry ely.. Again a k series 111s

http://www.barryelysportscars.co.uk/lot ... e-25-2004/

Little on the expensive side but look fabulous

[Dave]

I know it's advertised as a 190 but looking at the picture of the engine bay it looks like the resonator valve is still fitted in the air intake, I thought that this was removed as part of the 190 upgrade.

[Mr Momo]

Dave, do you really want a car without provenance for that price ?

Is it always going to be a bitsa ?

Just saying ....

[StiflerMR2]

It's a very nice 111s, but POA always just winds me up!

Good luck with the offer on the Exige, I wish I was a bit braver sometimes!

[NeilP]

Offer rejected - mind you it was low based on what I read here :0)

The type 25 @ Barry Ely is £16k I think

[Corranga]

It's a very nice 111s, but POA always just winds me up!

Agreed. Especially on a car with that value. POA on a £16kish car, heck that's half the Ford Focus range nowadays

[j2 lot]

POA just makes me think the seller is at it and will fleece you if the opportunity is there, as you say it's hatchback money.

[dlogan]

Dave, do you really want a car without provenance for that price ?

Is it always going to be a bitsa ?

Just saying ....

Phil are you asking me or bother Dave?

What makes it a bitsa? I was interested but I would have wanted to spend too much on it, perhaps more than it needed and at the asking price it wasn't for me. I would have probably wanted the engine rebuilt purely as it sat so long.

I passed on it anyway.